The fight against banditry in the NorthWest has taken a different turn as security vigilante groups responsible for limiting the advances of bandits, have been banned over alleged judicial killings of innocent persons and looting of properties under the umbrella of “Yan Sa Kai operations”

This was disclosed in a statement by the Katsina State Government on Tuesday, signed by the Special Assistant to Gov. Aminu Masari on security matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Katsina.

The state government said the effort of fighting the bandits will now be a joint conventional security operation.

What the government is saying

According to the statement, “The measure was taken in consideration of their overzealous criminal activities, leading to extrajudicial killings of innocent persons and looting their property, under the guise of ‘Yan Sa Kai operations.

“The Police and other security agencies have by this directives been mandated to enforce the dismantling of all ‘Yan Sa Kai activities across the state, forthwith.”

Katsina State Government added that it only recognises the activities of the vigilance group, which is under the supervision, control and monitoring of the Police, other security agencies and traditional institutions.

“Henceforth, nobody should take the law into his hands, under whatever guise. Arrested suspects should be handed over to the Police or any security agency for proper investigation and action where needed,” it stated.

Katsina Police spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, warned that it will not fold its arms while some disgruntled members of the public took the law into their hands, citing “brazenly killing innocent citizens, destroying and looting public property without recourse to the rule of law.”

”The Nigeria Police Force, and indeed other sister Security agencies, would deal decisively with any person or group of persons found parading themselves as Yan sakai or any other like name in the state.

”Government and security agencies recognise only the efforts and contributions of the sate Vigilante Group, which is under the supervision of the Police and Traditional rulers”, he said.

What you should know

Nairametrics reported earlier this month that the Kaduna state government revealed that for the year 2021, 1,192 persons were killed by banditry and violent attacks in the state and 3,348 people were kidnapped, while 891 others were injured within the year.
Meanwhile, last month the federal government of Nigeria released its official gazette proscribing bandit groups in Nigeria as terrorists.

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